Royal Studio On World Cafe

The late Willie Mitchell of Royal Studio in Memphis. (Courtesy of Royal Studio)

As part of our "Sense of Place" tour of Memphis, we're on to Royal Studio, where Al Green, Ann Peebles and others made some of the 1970s' most important soul music for Hi Records.

Most of that music was produced by the late Willie Mitchell. Here, we've dug up a 2005 interview with Al Green wherein he tells the story of how Mitchell helped him find his voice. We also talk with Mitchell's son, Boo, who grew up at Royal. His dad told him, "Don't turn Royal into a museum when I die." Don't worry; he hasn't.

We also have Cody ChesnuTT on hand, talking about recording his new album, Landing on a Hundred, at Royal Studio using Al Green's vocal mic.